This invention relates generally to shipping cartons formed from corrugated paperboard or the like and more particularly, relates to an otherwise conventional carton formed from a unitary blank of sheet material which includes anchoring flap means integral with the blank, constructed and arranged to prevent shifting of a product packaged in the carton, such as a lamp shade or a similar suitably structured product.
Except for the novel anchoring flap means with which the invention is concerned, the carton is formed from a conventional corrugated paperboard blank. In the trade, it is known as a "R.S.C." style carton in which the blank has a series of hingedly connected side wall panels which are foldable into a rectangular enclosure secured by means of a conventional manufacturer's flap. Each side wall panel has a pair of end flaps along opposing edges thereof. Thus, there is a total of eight end flaps, four of which are folded to form the bottom wall and four of which are folded to form the top wall of the completed carton. Adhesive tape commonly is used for securing the end flaps into end wall structures. Such a carton can be partially assembled into a collapsed condition which makes the carton ideal for shipping in large quantities. When it is desired to use the carton, pressure applied to the edges of the carton will cause it to open into a rectangular shape. The top and bottom flaps can then be folded to complete the carton after the carton is loaded. Such a carton is commonly used for shipping of lamp shades.
A lamp shade of the type with which the carton of this invention is concerned normally has a wire frame provided by a top and bottom metal ring and supporting wire ribs secured between the rings. A suitable fabric cover is then supported on the frame. In some cases the frame comprises a self-supporting parchment member which includes top and bottom metal rings. To install the lamp shade on the upright stud of a lamp base, the lamp shade has a centrally positioned washer fitter which essentially is a washer member having a central aperture into which the stud of the lamp base can be inserted for engaging a suitable nut which can be tightened into engagement with a washer fitter. It may be noted that leaded glass lamp shades, commonly known as "Tiffany lamp shades," also have a washer fitter for mounting the lamp shade on a lamp base.
In order to package such a lamp shade in a conventional R.S.C. style carton, the practice has been to use separate inserts located adjacent the top and bottom walls of the completed carton. Such inserts were provided with apertures into which the opposing extremities of a rod or pole were inserted with the rod or pole passed through the washer fitter of the lamp shade. Of course, such separate inserts required separate manufacturing and handling expenses as well as requirements for storage and setup of the carton. All the inserts were configured to abut inside surfaces of the side walls of the carton so as to prevent shifting of the lamp in the carton during shipment which could bend the frame or damage the lamp shade material when the pole extremities were engaged in the apertures in the inserts.
The thrust of the herein invention is to eliminate the need for separate inserts by means of said anchoring flap means integral with selected end flaps of such a conventional R.S.C. style carton.